View Full Version : Driving tests
As there are two tests for auto and manual, it made me wonder if there should be seperate driving tests for FWD and RWD, and possibly 4WD. Would it stop somebody, after passing their test in a Saxo (or similar), thrashing around in a Saxo (or similar) for a few years, then buying a RWD car and stacking it on the first roundabout in the wet.
Vote and comments please.
Jezz_S13
29-07-2004, 10:47
and another to drive left hookers...
i think that there should be either seperate test or that the lot should all be covered under one test, which on the whole would be better as it means you are more prepared for buying anything when you have passed
gaz.thomas
29-07-2004, 10:52
Nope. The driving test should simply be challenging enough to ensure that those who pass are competent drivers. Maybe the candidate's knowledge of the handling characteristics of different vehicle layouts should be assessed as part of the test...
I do think there should be a special test for anyone who wants to drive an air-cooled 911 though...
Gaz
-x-
and another to drive left hookers...
Noooooooooooooo, I don't do well under pressure, but for others then yes :D
Nope. The driving test should simply be challenging enough to ensure that those who pass are competent drivers. Maybe the candidate's knowledge of the handling characteristics of different vehicle layouts should be assessed as part of the test...
sounds about right, people should be educated in different aspects of drivibng so they know what happening when they see me drifting towards tyhem arounf the rounderbout / corner and realise they sould get out the way. :thumbs:
and another because some cars have the indicator stalk on the left, others on the right.
No, but i dont think the test is challenging enough. Should encompass a skid pan day etc.
Would be quite difficult to impliment though :(
I thought the highway code told you which way to steer in a slide.....
When learning how to sail you learn all about diffrent hull shapes and how the handling changes etc....
TBh what about a system like the motorbike depending on age and experience.... I don't feel all that happy or safe in the knowledge that some 18yr old with rich parents could pass a test and be out in a 500bhp car the very next day.....
twinturboch
29-07-2004, 11:55
People just need more common sense (ironicly, apparently not that common) :D
I thought the highway code told you which way to steer in a slide.....
It does.. hardly sufficiant though!
What about understeer too.... i bet most in-experienced drivers just slam on the brakes when they badly lose the front end and stack it :(
personally I think no. The driving test at the moment is a basic test of every day driving and not supposed to prepare you if you decide to go off being Colin McRae for the day (quite literally, smacking into trees).
A better idea would be to make sure that new drivers are actually bloody competent at the basics let alone teaching em the difference between fwd and rwd :mad:
Voted no, does it mean that if you're used to using RWD you have to set another test so you are allowed to drive FWD because you would be used to the understeer?
Dunc.
dtmpower
29-07-2004, 13:42
and another to drive left hookers...
yeah and left hookers , and how about size of car , large us barge - wider , hummer h2 par example.....if you can drive you can drive.....and what about SMG like M3....
dtmpower
29-07-2004, 13:46
When learning how to sail you learn all about diffrent hull shapes and how the handling changes etc....
TBh what about a system like the motorbike depending on age and experience.... I don't feel all that happy or safe in the knowledge that some 18yr old with rich parents could pass a test and be out in a 500bhp car the very next day.....
I think thats a sign of jealousy....a cars a car , if it has 50hp or 500hp, as long as the driver is insured and he is licensed, then how he conducts himself on the road is his and the traffic polices business....in my opinion....I dont think ity matters, you still see crazed fools in saxo 1.1 #maxed up# screaming every last 0.1 hp from it and acting up in MacD car park etc.....maybe if their olds buy them a crazy car to start with they might respect the rules and drive carefully :wack:
That's my opinion too - it's not down to driver skill but driver attitude. Regardless of how well a bad driver is taught, he/she will go off and push the boundaries of what they can get away with - regardless of what car they use to do it
Martin T
29-07-2004, 13:59
I think thats a sign of jealousy....a cars a car , if it has 50hp or 500hp, as long as the driver is insured and he is licensed, then how he conducts himself on the road is his and the traffic polices business....in my opinion....I dont think ity matters, you still see crazed fools in saxo 1.1 #maxed up# screaming every last 0.1 hp from it and acting up in MacD car park etc.....maybe if their olds buy them a crazy car to start with they might respect the rules and drive carefully :wack:
Its not jealousy. Its maths. 17-24 year olds are several times as likely as all of the other age groups to have an accident. In a 50 HP car with a top speed of about fvck all they often dont have the power or the speed to do too much damage. In a 500HP car they definately do.
Also instead of just allowing ppl based on their ages, why not based on the vehicle? Only allow tests for cars of a certain power after a certian age.
Tricky-Ricky
29-07-2004, 14:03
People just need more common sense (ironicly, apparently not that common) :D
LOL, yes that and an attitude test! :nod:
The current test is just to make sure that you are safe on the road on your own. You don't need performance RWD instruction when your 17 :eek: They are already bad enough :rolleyes:
If your that bothered about driving RWD over FWD then do some Advanced driving lessons :nod:
and another to drive left hookers...
Oh ffs I'd be spending my life taking bloody driving tests :rolleyes: ;)
my opinion has always been that the driving test itself should include elements on how to control any type of car in a given situation i.e. losing the back end in the wet - how to control this in both fwd and rwd. having passed my test within the last 3 yrs, you're just taught to pass the test with use of mirrors and how to park etc. they very rarely even make you emergency stop which surely has got to be a valuable skill. the amount of new drivers (both young and old, but mainly young) that stack their car within weeks of their test is scary, mainly on not knowing how to handle the car when it starts getting a little pear-shaped. girl i know holds the record i think - took her 16 mins after passing her test to have a bump :wack:
i do think skid control (at least in fwd) should be necessary, how many new drivers would instinctively turn into the slide and step on the gas in a fwd to stop it spinning?
Its not jealousy. Its maths. 17-24 year olds are several times as likely as all of the other age groups to have an accident. In a 50 HP car with a top speed of about fvck all they often dont have the power or the speed to do too much damage. In a 500HP car they definately do.
Also instead of just allowing ppl based on their ages, why not based on the vehicle? Only allow tests for cars of a certain power after a certian age.
Its statistics, and we all know how reliable they are :rolleyes:
In Japan they have a stepped system for Motocycles. So you can only ride certain cc until you pass the next level. (oh and you wont see many in Japan riding R1s :( the test for 1000cc bikes is fooking mental :eek:
Like the idea Martin :thumbs:
^
Totaly with you there Sambo.
From expeience too.... pushed my first car too far after passing my test, got into bad understeer, didnt know how to correct it and crashed. Luckily on my own, but it could have been very different. An extra insight into car control would probably prevented this. (i totaly accept my attitude when i first passed was carp, no getting away from that, least i can accept it now)
Its not only car control...... new drivers arnt even taught how to use M ways properly, which IMO is scandelous.
i totaly accept my attitude when i first passed was carp,
Has it matured into salmon or something?
They don't teach you to deal with a loss of control in the driving test because they try to teach you how NOT to get into trouble in the first place, which is a more important point IMO
Has it matured into salmon or something? :rolleyes: ( :D anyway, i think the correct term would be evolved.... :whip: )
They don't teach you to deal with a loss of control in the driving test because they try to teach you how NOT to get into trouble in the first place, which is a more important point IMO
Cant agree with you at all there mate.
What about hitting black ice, diesel etc :confused:
Also think its something most people learn from experience, sometimes without incident, sadly sometimes with.
Cant agree with you at all there mate.
What about hitting black ice, diesel etc :confused:
Also think its something most people learn from experience, sometimes without incident, sadly sometimes with.
Hitting black ice I cant see your point, if you were to adhere to the highway code and reduce speed sufficiently for conditions it would have to be a particularly nasty patch to catch you out ;)
Diesel - thats a good point, as there is no accounting for it.
But overall I still dont think that it's necessary to prepare people in a practical way for these eventualities - I mean the list could be endless, prepare them to sit in a traffic jam? That's just driving experience - which they'll only gain from experience on the road for real. IMO teaching a 17yr old kid how to deal with a slide in a RWD car would = them taking their spotty mates out the day after to show em just how well they learned :wack:
Ok... changed my mind... can 40% agree with you :p
Still dont think the current testing system is enough, but as you say.... all the extra's could snowball, and no one could afford to do the tests. Cant see that happening, think if the taxes the gov would lose!
I agree on the motorbike test system :nod: But thats my opinion.
I always longed for more speed when i was razzing about on my Mito125 but then the time came and i got a ZX6R and i respected it to the max :whip: You need to be able to learn to walk before you run and i think it sould be the same for cars :nod:
Just my 2p
I think it would be better to limit drivers to a certain power figure and increase this as they get older / more experienced. Something like this in conjunction with better roadcraft and possibly a course in manners....
for instance (instead of power you could maybe do engine capacity?)
17-18 - no more than 70bhp
18-19 - no more than 90bhp
19-21 - no more than 120bhp
21+ whatever.
If they get 3 points in there first year then they are held back in their age category for an additional 6 months. So if a 17yr old gets three points, he/she is going to be 18 and a half before they can move up a power band.
I'd say only after 100K miles of driving people eventually become a good driver. For example I have met diesel on a round about and contolled it and that was only from drifting I learnt how to control it. Generally in these situations nearly everyone steers the correct way but they may lock the wheels up or over correct the slide. Everyone can correct a slide if they know it will happen but when it catches you out it happens so quick only your instincts will save you. It would only be after many days of practising would you gain muscle memory to control something like that if it were to completely catch you out.
However I can't really say I have experienced aquaplaning or have had to do some serious life or death emergency braking. So does that mean I'm not a capable driver because I haven't properly experienced these situatrions?
What I would consider more important is prevention of these incidents. They should concentrate on reading the road.....
Anyone got thoughts of how to get those fools out of my way sitting in the middle or fast lane of the Mway?
The test/lessons should deal with motorways too. a couple of theory questions doesnt prepare you for the m25.
i agree with grinder there, i know of so many people who were too scared to go on motorways for a good few months, even years after they passed their test. imo it is much better to learn things like that with an instructor sat beside you then dropping you in at the deep end all by yourself. while i was still learning i regularly drove through the centre of glasgow with my mum in the passenger seat, doing that gave me so much more confidence and knowledge of city centre driving, compared to a large amount of my friends who are still too nervous to drive through the city even afetr driving on a full licence for 2-3 years.
The test/lessons should deal with motorways too. a couple of theory questions doesnt prepare you for the m25.
Thats cause all the Highway Code theory doesn't apply to the M25 :rolleyes:
Where does it say...
1) Join Motorway.
2) Get to 3rd lane as quickly as possible.
3) Stay in 3rd lane till turn off.
4) Leave 3rd lane and dart up slip road.
:rolleyes: :wack:
The test/lessons should deal with motorways too. a couple of theory questions doesnt prepare you for the m25.
You can do a pass plus course after you pass your test and they take you on the motorway :nod: I did it and it (M6) and it gives you alot more confidence and it knocks money off your insurance too :thumbs:
You can do a pass plus course after you pass your test and they take you on the motorway :nod: I did it and it (M6) and it gives you alot more confidence and it knocks money off your insurance too :thumbs:
100% agree.
When I learnt to drive I had to wait 6 weeks to get a company car. The day it would be delivered I had to drive 100 miles to Oxford on a Monday morning. So for my first ever journey I had to do that.
Fcuk that I thought even though I was reasonably confident I still did pass plus. It cost me £100 and took £120 off of my insurance....
Anyone got thoughts of how to get those fools out of my way sitting in the middle or fast lane of the Mway?
Patriot missiles?
The test deffo needs to adress mway driving, no doubt about it. I think its mad you cant drive on them with a registered instructor, but can drive straight onto one within minutes of passing your test un-aided.
IMO it would be a good idea to be able to spend half a day on a skid pan rather than taking a lot of tests to drive different vehicles. Especially if after doing the course it would enable you to be able to get money off your insurance like the Pass Plus.
DaveyBoy
29-07-2004, 18:37
Nope, not at all, that would be the sort of thing Labour would love, more red tape!!! :rant:
I just think the test should be harder, foreign licence holders should have less time before having to get a UK licence, and there should be compulsory re-testing.
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